Improvement in potato-d iggers



'UNirEn STATES FArENr. @einen BENJAMN BEAMER AND CORNELIUS vAN DERZEE, or ALBANY, N.- Y.

" IMPROVEMENT IN PoTATo-DIGGERS- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 92,749, dated July 20, lSGQ.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, B. BEAMER and C. VAN DERZEE, both of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Diggers, and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accon1- panying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure lis atopview of our invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one side and the driving gears.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both the iigures.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction of a frame for a potato-digger, consisting, mainly, of a series of levers so arranged as to enable the driver to raise or lower the share B and the revolving separator A at pleasure, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The share B may have its point t (shown in Fig. l) iiat, or it may be curved downward, as shown in Fig. 2.

R designates an axle, upon the ends of which are secured two common drivingwheels,in the usual well-known manner.

To the inside of one of the driving-wheels L is attached a large spur-wheel, M, which revolves with the wheel L and meshes into pinion N at the back of the machine, as may be seen in Figs. l and 2. Pinion N is attached to one end of counter-shaft O, which has a large bevel-wheel, D, at its opposite end. Near the center of the back part of the machine is a short upright shaft, I), (seen in Fig. 2,) at the top of which is abevel-pinion, G. At the bot tom of shaft I) is attached a wheel with radial arms, s s. The ends of radial arms s s extend underneath the back part of share B, as may be seen by referring to Figs. l and 2. The pinions N and C and large bevel-wheel D are supported by suitable brackets projecting from the sides of link E. There is also a cross-bar,

' t, extending across the rear of the machine, and

connecting iirmly the back parts of links E, as may be seen in Fig. 1.

F designates one of the uniting-links of the compound levers forming part ofthe improved frame. The form of link E, as may be seenin Fig. 2, is like a bracket, and its two points oi' 'in Figyl.

suspension and motion are indicated by c and b in the same gure.

H designates a link extending from the axle R to the center of pinion N, as may be seen at g and c in Fig. 2.

Gr designates a lever extending from the axle R to the front of the machine, as may be seen The front end of lever G is attached to the pole V by means of cross front bars, m, and metallic side plates, n, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

From the inner end of levers G there is a.

short arm, G, extending a little below the axle B and forward of the same, as seen in Fig. 2. lever F, .as shown in Fig. 2. p

F designates a bent lever, whose fulcrumis at c, below the axle of the machine, and on the arms G of front levers, G, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear ends of levers F are connected to brackets E at points Z), as shown in the same figure. The front ends of levers F are bent at right angles and extend across the front of the machine, forming one entire undivided piece, as shown in Fig. 1, having its two extremities connected by pivots or studs at points b to brackets E, as shown in Fig. 2. Vhen lever K (one end of which rises above the drivers seat R3) is moved forward or backward, it will cause the front ends of bent levers F, to which it is connected by link I, to be depressed or raised, and consequently will raise or lower the share B and rotating separator A with its driving-gears C and D, all of which are sus pended and supported upon the pivots or studs b in the ends of bent levers F, as shown. in Fig. 2. v

K designates a bent lever, the upper end of which engages into two notches on the right side of the seat B. The lower end of lever K is pivoted to a short bar, p, rising from the pole V, and the middle of the lever K is connected to the front end of bent lever F and supported by link I, as shown in Fig. 2.

The seat B2 is attached to the front of the machine by means of a bar, Q, or in any other well-known and suitable manner.

It will be seen from the above description that the operation of our machine will be as follows: rlhepoint t' ofthe share B will penetrate the earth and turn up the potatoes, which will be carried backward against the arms S This gives a central supp 'ort to curved of the rotating separator A, by which they will be beaten and separated from the vines and thrown out behind the machine.

By the use of lever K the driver will be enabled to lift up the rear end ofthe frame, consisting of links H and E and a part of bent lever F, together with the drivin g-gears N, D, and C and the rotating Wheel A, and also the share B,Which is attached tothe lower part of bracket-link E. Y

What We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The construction of the frame of a potatodigger, consisting of the front side pieces or levers, G, with their arms G', and Whose oenter of motion is in the center of the axle R, in combination with links E, H, and I and levers F and K, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

BENJAMIN BEAMER. CORNELIUS VAN DERZEE.

XVitnesses:

J oHN R. HAYs, NVILLIAM D. STREVELL. 

